Fundamentals
Question:-
What would you say are the fundamental tenets
of a true religion.
Answer:-
From the Islamic point of view, the
fundamental Truths on which human life is to based is that:- (1) there is Allah,
the self-existing creator of all things; (2) He is one and unique. (3) He alone
is to be worshipped; (4) that all things were created for a purpose, (5) He
sent Messengers (6) to convey His Word to man in Scriptures containing guidance
and (7) we are required to surrender and obey Allah.
Critic:-
According to Christians Jesus does not
receive revelations. He is God and speaks from himself.
Comment:-
A study of the NT shows that Jesus did not
claim to be God but that he had been sent by God to the Jews and that his
doctrines were not his:-
"Jesus answered them and said: My
doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." John 7 :15
Also see John 5:19, 24, 30, 7:18, 8:28, and
12:49
Critic:-
He may have said that. However Jesus would
have known that to lead Jews to a better covenant, he would have to claim at
least equal authority to the prophets who preceded him.
Comment:-
Correct. As Jesus (saw) said, he derived his
authority from God just as Moses (saw) did before him and Muhammad (saw) did
after him.
Critic:-
We are told in John 10-33
The Jews answered him, "We don't stone
you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself
God." Jesus answered them, "Isn't it written in your law, 'I said,
you are gods?' If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the
Scripture can't be broken), do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and
sent into the world, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God?' If
I don't do the works of my Father, don't believe me. But if I do them, though
you don't believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the
Father is in me, and I in the Father."
Comment:-
Jesus was quoting Psalms 82:6
"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of
you are children of the most High."
This has never been interpreted literally as
meaning that the Jews were God. But it is referred to in John 1:12-13
"But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God."
This is also explained in Romans 8:14
"For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God."
It is a condition known in Islam as being a
Muslim.
Critic:-
The statement, "the Father is in me, and
I am in the Father" is significant I think.
Comment:-
This has the same meaning as being in a state
of Surrender (Islam).
All men have the spirit of God in them (Quran
32:9) but this is normally dormant (asleep) and needs resurrecting. When it is
active as in Jesus and other messengers then they are at-one with God.
Critic:-
From a pantheistic point of view, we are all
part of God and God exists within all of us, so Jesus is saying something that
is true for all human beings.
Comment:-
This is not quite true.
Firstly, Islam is not pantheistic - There is
a difference between the Creator and Creation. The Creator is Eternal while
Creation has a beginning and will have an end. However, He surrounds all things
and is the fundamental Reality. The Universe may be regarded as a thought in
the mind of God. So if Pantheism is defined as the whole of Reality then there
might be some justification for this view, but it still cannot refer to the
created Universe.
Secondly, though the spirit is in all human
beings, it is normally dormant (asleep or even dead in some people). It needs
resurrection and this is done through Surrender to Allah, by obedience to the
Word of God that comes through the Messengers:-
"O you who believe! Respond unto
Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you (makes you
alive); and know that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart; and that
He it is unto Whom you shall be gathered." Quran 8:24
Critic:-
From the point of view of those who
worshipped Jehovah, Jesus would have seemed to be making a unique claim to be
Jehovah.
Comment:-
The Jews simply misunderstood him. They might
have done so deliberately because they saw him challenging their authority.
Critic:-
But with either interpretation, it would seem
that "His" refers to the doctrine of Jesus himself. Jesus can claim
it is from the Father, because he reasons "the Father is in me, and I am
in the Father".
Comment:-
Must I quote again:-
"Jesus answered them and said: My
doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." John 7 :15 Also see John 5:19, 24, 30, 7:18, 8:28, and 12:49
Critic:-
I believe what you say about Jesus
emphasising motives is correct. However, Jesus did demonstrate that:
1) It is sometimes permissible to work on the
Sabbath.
2) It is not necessary to stone adulterers to
death.
3) A person is not defiled by what he puts in
his mouth.
Comment:-
Yes, the action is judged by the motive and
the action that outwardly seems right or wrong may not conform to the right
motive. The motive, however, must be judged by the right knowledge, by truth.
But Jesus also said:-
"Not every one that saith unto me
Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but He THAT DOETH THE WILL OF
MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Many will say to me in that Day: Lord, Lord, have
we not prophecied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy
name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW
YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY." Matthew 7:21-23
As for stoning adulterers, the verse where
Jesus is supposed to have forgiven the adulteress is a spurious one and has
been removed from modern translations of the New Testament. In any case he did
not forbid it but asked those who had not sinned to do the stoning and is
reported to have said "Go and sin no more." His motive appears to
have been to expose the hypocrisy of those who go only by outer acts and are
unaware of their own sins. He could not have been contradicting his own
statement that not one jot of the Law was to be abolished.
As for defilement, he was probably speaking
about the various excretions of the body and also of profanities and abuse that
come out of the mouth. He could not have been speaking of poisons that people
may take in or of disobeying the law wilfully.
Islam also allows or forgives actions that
are contrary to the law that are done in error, or under special circumstances,
or when consideration of priorities requires it as long as the intention is
correct. e.g.
"But he who is forced by hunger, not
inclined wilfully to sin, verily, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." 5:3
Critic:-
You say Jesus was looking forward to the
Religion of Truth quoting John 16:12-14.
I feel "Spirit of the Truth" may
refer to personal experiences of enlightenment gained through both rational and
mystical means.
Comment:-
It might refer to that also.
But the verse makes it clear that it is
speaking of a person like himself who "speaks what he hears", as the verse
I quoted show you. Do not Christians say that Deuteronomy 18:15,18 refer to
Jesus? He would then be like Moses who spoke as he heard. See also John 16:7
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."
Note that the Spirit was with him all the
time. It descended on him when he was baptised. Luke 3:22-23
Critic:-
You say: Islam is the Religion of Truth.
Quran 9:33 says:-
"He is the One who sent His messenger
with the guidance and the religion of truth, and will make it dominate all
religions, in spite of the idol worshipers."
I wonder if "dominate" is a
mistranslation here? Jesus said "the truth will make you free", so I
would expect that a religion of truth would lead, rather than dominate.
Comment:-
It is a question of how you understand
things.
As Islam is the religion sent by God through
all the Messengers and is the Word of God that is defined as Truth, then
dominate refers to its supercedance over falsehood according to the verse:-
"And say: Truth has come, and
falsehood has vanished! Verily, falsehood is ever bound to vanish." 17:81
The following also apply:-
"Religion with Allah is the
Surrender. those who formerly received the scriptures differed only after
knowledge came to them, through transgression among themselves... and if they
argue with thee, say: I have surrendered my purpose to Allah, and so have those
who follow me. And say unto those who have received the scriptures and those
who read not: Have ye, too, surrendered? If they surrender, then truly they are
rightly guided; and if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to convey the
message." 3:19-20
"So set thy purpose for Religion as a
man upright by nature - the nature framed by Allah in which He hath created
man. There is no changing the laws of Allah's creation. That is the right
religion, but most men know not." 30:30
"Lo, those who believe, and those who
are Jews and Sabaeans and Christians - whosoever believes in Allah and the Last
Day and does right - there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they
grieve." 5:69
Critic:-
In Islam there is this confused doctrine:
Adam repented after he was expelled out of Garden, and God forgave him. Then
one must ask: if God forgave him why didn't He admit him back in the Garden?
Why do the children of Adam have to suffer the consequence of their
forefather's fault and be born on Earth instead the Garden?
If one accepts the story of Adam's Fall one
has to accept the doctrine of Original Sin too. One simply entails the other.
Comment:-
Why are you making the assumption or
assertion that the Islamic doctrine is confused? Why do you not try to
understand it instead? That is a problem of arrogance. This was the sin of
Satan who assumed in arrogance that God was wrong in requiring him to bow to
Adam.
The point is that God knew man was to sin -
He did create Satan.
"And when your Lord said unto the
angels: I am about to place a Vicegerent in the earth, they said: Will you
place therein one who will do evil therein and shed blood? While we celebrate
Thy praise and glorify Thee. Said (Allah): I know what you know not." 2:30
The angels already knew that man would do
evil, but God knew something more. Man was created perfect but that perfection
consisted of the ability to learn. He was placed on earth to learn. He was
forgiven for sinning, disobeying God, but the repentance consists of the
striving to learn. 95:4-6
"But Satan made them backslide there
from and drove them out from what they were in, and We said: Go down, one of
you the enemy of the other, and in the earth there is an abode and a provision
for a time. And Adam obtained certain words (revelations) from his Lord, and He
relented towards him, for He is the Relenting, the Compassionate. We said: Go
down there from altogether and per chance there may come from Me a Guidance,
and whoever follows My Guidance, no fear is theirs, nor shall they grieve."
2:36-38
According to the Quran as well as the Bible
each person is punished or rewarded according to his own actions and not the
actions of someone else.
"He who accepts guidance (or does
right), accepts it only for his own soul: and he who errs, errs only against
it; nor shall one burdened soul bear the burden of another. Nor would We punish
until we had sent a Messenger (with warnings)." 17:15
As you see, you are wrong. The Fall of Adam
does not entail the Christian doctrine about Original Sin but on the contrary
to punish people for the sins of their ancestor is not justice. It does not
take into account the repentance and striving of the individual. The difference
lies in this that Christianity contrary to what Jesus taught, teaches that the
crucifixion of Jesus leads to salvation whereas Islam, as also taught by Jesus,
teaches that salvation is gained by obeying Allah and His Messenger.
As pointed out by James, the brother of
Jesus:-
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead?" James 2:20
"For as the body without the spirit
is dead, so faith without works is dead." James 2:26
But it is probable that what was meant is
that Jesus devoted his life to bringing the Word of God to man and was willing
to endure persecution in the process. So we are required to accept this
sacrifice by accepting the teachings he brought.
Why are people so mentally conditioned by a
past doctrine that they become incapable of understanding anything new or
formulated in other ways.
Question:-
You have often used
the words “degenerate” and “regenerate” about people
and communities. These appear to fundamental notions. Can you explain what you
mean?
Answer:-
I was writing from
an Islamic point of view but using modern Western terms.
A study of the
Quran shows that it is about Spiritual Evolution or growth (91:7-10, 3:77,
3:164, 6:99-100, 9:103, 20:76, 22:5, 24:21, 56:61, 62:3, 71:17, 80:3,7, 87:14,
92:18).
That is, it is
about the intensification of life (6:123, 8:24, 2:164, 16:65,95, 22:6,66, 41:39
etc.), of the expansion of consciousness, conscience and will. We are required
to transfer our attention, interests, and loyalties from all kinds of limited
objects, persons, institutions and ideas to the Creator of the Universe; from
the narrow concerns of our immediate environment and worldly life to the wider
world of the processes of the earth and heavens. Instead of being bound
mentally and emotionally to only family and tribe we have to encompass the
whole of man kind, and instead of being confined to a small locality we have to
become citizens of the world, and even more, instead of attached to all kinds
of limiting idols we have to become agents of the creator and the citizens of
the Universe with cosmic functions and responsibilities. Instead of adherence
to a sect or particular religion or ideology, we recognise that all genuine
religions come from God through Messengers He has sent.
But it is also
necessary for the expansion of consciousness (for spiritual expansion) to
recognise the difference between what is real and what is false, between
objective Universal truths, goodness (values and motives) and actions, defined
as Sacred or Divine on the one hand and subjective or illusional ones defined
as Profane or Satanic on the other. We determine to seek and follow the Divine
ones.
Human beings,
according to the Quran, contain the Spirit of God (15:29, 32:9, 38:72-73, 50:16. Also see 16:2 and
40:15). But though this has become dormant (95:4-6), the implication is that
the potentiality for expansion exists. (2:257, 8:24, 84:19, 89:27-30).
The expansion of
consciousness is symbolically described in Quran 6:76-80 where Abraham first
worshipped the star, a point of light in the darkness, then the moon and then
the sun and finally abandoned all limited created things and turns to the
Creator.
This expansion can
be also be illustrated by an analogy. Draw a large circle. Name it A. Within it
draw a small circle, named U. Within U draw a tiny circle called M, which
represents ordinary human consciousness. Within this place a dot D where we
have death, the absence of consciousness. The expansion of human consciousness
either requires the breaks in the confining circumference of M or the gradual
expansion M until it coincides with U and then with A. Think of D as being
connected with M and then U and then with A by means of an expanding tube. Then
the consciousness of a person could be regarded as being at any point between D
and A. The direction towards D is degeneration and the direction towards A is
regeneration.
A
………..U………..M…………D
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